North-east woman cycled through storms for charity

A north-east woman who defied the elements by completing a mammoth cycling trek in storm conditions is now aiming to more than double her fundraising tally.

Louise Cruickshank cycled 1,000 miles around Scotland within just 12 days last month, with the fact her effort coincided with the arrival of Storm Ali posing an additional challenge.

She succeeded in raising about £9,000 for children’s cancer charity Kayleigh’s Wee Stars and Clan Cancer Support in the process.

And now she is now arranging a ball in the hopes of increasing that sum to £25,000.

The event on Saturday November 3 will take place at Thainstone Mart and will feature a talk from the cycling legend who inspired her to undertake the effort, Mark Beaumont.

Ms Cruickshank said the ball is intended to “cap off” her epic charity effort.

The 34-year-old said: “I had wanted to do something like this for about 10 years but listening to Mark Beaumont gave me the final push to do it.”

Ms Cruickshank, who lives in Fisherford and works as an accountant at the Baxter’s soup factory in Fochabers, began her trip in mid-September at her home before pedalling to Fraserburgh and along the coast into Aberdeen.

She then stopped by Baxter’s head office in Edinburgh, en-route to the Borders.

The wearied cyclist’s trip to the south of Scotland was made all the more challenging by ferocious winds and rain, as Storm Ali toppled trees onto the road and made simple pedalling a challenge.

She said: “We had to clamber through fallen trees to keep going.”

As well as the speech from Mark Beaumont, the ball will involve a three course meal, an auction and a raffle.

Prizes will include weekend hotel breaks, golf sessions and fishing experiences on the Deveron.

And one winner will have their dinner made for them and nine friends at home by Baxter’s culinary wizard Darren Sivewright – who made it to the semi-finals of Masterchef in 2015.